Our 167th Year
Jurassic Empire
‘Plains, Trains & Violins
Dinosaurs on display at Santa Maria Fair Park - A2
Santa Barbara Symphony to perform music by Dvorak, del Aguila, Bernstein - B1
75¢
MON DAY, JA N UA RY 9, 2 023
Major storm expected to hit today, Tuesday Heavy rain and high winds predicted, with risk of flooding, debris flows
Witness: Rudy’s will press charges over broken window By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
To date, all the attention following the Christmas Eve rock-throwing incident that shattered the front window of Rudy’s Restaurant has focused on the witness who was attacked afterward, leaving her battered and bruised. Now Rudy’s wants to know when it’s their turn. The witness, Rebecca Brand, told a detective on the case that Rudy’s definitely wants to press charges against the transient woman who Ms. Brand alleges threw the rock and then came after her to prevent her 911 call in progress. In an email to a Detective Hill, Ms. Brand said she met a Detective Hall at the District
Rebecca Brand
NEWS-PRESS FILE
Attorney’s Office with two others in attendance to discuss the crimes of the window breaking, and the assault on her. “While in that meeting, I was told that Rudy’s Restaurant Please see RUDY’S on A2
Report: California Air Resources Board plan falls short in addressing California’s climate goals KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Passersby bypass barricades erected to deter visitors walking onto the breakwater at the Santa Barbara Harbor during inclement weather and high surf on Sunday.
By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Heavy rain is expected countywide Monday through Tuesday as a major winter storm is expected to hit the area bringing with it gusty winds, flooding and mud and debris flow. The heaviest rainfall is expected in south Santa Barbara County foothills/mountains including the Alisal, Cave, and Thomas Fire burn areas. “Damaging winds could blow down large objects such as trees and outdoor furniture,” county officials said in a news release. “Unplanned power outages are possible. Beaches, Bluffs and the Harbor area may be impacted by dangerous surf, winds and flooding. “Current forecasts indicate this storm may cause significant flooding countywide. If you are concerned that this storm may cause unsafe conditions to your home, leave the area before rain starts.” An evacuation warning has been issued for areas and properties in southern Santa Barbara County associated with the Alisal, Cave and Thomas fires. The evacuation warning could be upgraded to an evacuation order unless there are significant changes to the weather forecast. Residents should prepare to leave, fill the gas tank and load up important documents, essentials items, etc. People are being encouraged to leave if they don’t feel safe rather than wait for an evacuation order. They should be ready to leave at a moment’s
notice. People with disabilities and access and functional needs should leave now, as should people with large animals. Residents should remain vigilant as conditions can change quickly. Residents are encouraged to: • Monitor the weather • Plan on how to get out and where you might go • Prepare and protect your home During rain, residents are advised the following: • If you feel unsafe during the rainfall and there is no evacuation order, residents are advised to shelter in place in your home by gathering your family and pets Please see WEATHER on A2
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(The Center Square) - The California Air Resources Board (CARB) which is responsible for developing plans to meet established statutory greenhouse gas (GHG) emission goals, came under fire in a recent brief by the California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) assessing California’s climate policies. The LAO criticized CARB plan for lacking a clear strategy to achieve targets in greenhouse gas reduction set out by the state. Additionally, LAO found that the cap‑and‑trade program is not currently positioned to close a 2030 emissions gap. In 1990, California’s emissions measured 431 metric tons of climate pollutants. The state’s statutory goals required a reduction of GHG to no more than 258.6 metric tons by the year 2030 and to 64.65 metric tons by 2045. “The plan is unclear regarding how much the state will rely on financial incentives, sector‑specific regulatory programs, or cap‑and‑trade,” the LAO brief stated. The state statute required that the plan “identify and make recommendations on measures to facilitate the achievement of the maximum technologically feasible and cost‑effective reductions of GHGs.” The plan should have identified the costeffectiveness and range of projected greenhouse gas and air pollution reductions from each measure. The failure to set out specific policy increases the risk that the state will not meet its 2030 climate change goal
due to delays in action. As state departments take the time to identify and evaluate what policy changes to make, implementation is delayed. The delay in implementation means the time period is shortened and a more rushed policy roll-out could be disruptive and expensive for households and private businesses. The brief found that the plan lacked information that the legislature would need to evaluate the pros and cons of policy, make a near-term budget, analyze the impact on different households and make comparisons to alternative emission reduction measures. If the state fails to meet its emission goals, California may miss the opportunity to demonstrate global leadership on climate action, the LAO found. Seventy-five percent of the state’s greenhouse emissions come from transportation fuels, electricity, natural gas, and industrial activities that fall under the cap-and -trade program, to limit their impact. The CARB plan did not include a specific role for cap-andtrade. The LAO recommended that CARB submit a report to the legislature by July 31, 2023 to include new and expanded policies. The report should have estimated emission reductions, air pollution reductions, distributional impacts, and cost‑effectiveness of each of those policies, as well as mechanisms to make cap-andtrade more effective by reducing emission allowances, limiting the use of offsets and extending the program beyond 2030.
LOTTERY
i n s i de Classified.............. A4 Life..................... B1-2 Obituaries............. A4
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Volunteers help clean up Arroyo Burro Beach County Park in Santa Barbara during the Explore Ecology Beach Cleanup event on Sunday. The volunteers focused on cleaning up the parking lot and surrounding areas of the park.
By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR
Sudoku................. B3 Sports ................A3-4 Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 4-6-11-31-46 Mega: 22
Sunday’s DAILY 4: 8-8-2-3
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 3-20-46-59-63 Mega: 13
Sunday’s FANTASY 5: 5-17-18-28-39
Sunday’s DAILY DERBY: 07-02-03 Time: 1:44.04
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 35-36-44-45-67 Meganumber: 14
Sunday’s DAILY 3: 4-6-1 / Midday 1-0-8